25 Most Endangered Primates
Written by: Admin
Source: Smugmug
The primates play an important role in the ecology. The primates are also important to study human development as they are considered the closest living relatives of mankind. Although many organizations around the world are working to protect primates, the decreasing population of primates is concerning. According to the IUCN Species Programme report (Primates in Peril: The World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates, 2008–2010), almost half of the all primates are in danger of becoming extinct if appropriate actions are not taken immediately. The causes of primates extinction include; destruction of tropical forests, illegal wildlife trade, and commercial bush meat hunting.
Dr Christoph Schwitzer, advisor to the IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group and Head of Research at the Bristol Conservation and Science Foundation said, “This report makes for very alarming reading and it underlines the extent of the danger facing many of the world’s primates”.
Below are the 25 most endangered primates:
| Species | Estimated population size |
| Madagascar | |
| Greater Bamboo Lemur (Prolemur simus) | Not more than 100–160. |
| Gray-headed Lemur (Eulemur cinereiceps) | 7,265 ±2,268 |
| Sclater’s Black Lemur/Blue-Eyed Black Lemur(Eulemur flavifrons) | 450–2,300 |
| Northern sportive lemur (Lepilemur septentrionalis) | Less than 100 |
| Silky Sifaka (Propithecus candidus) | 100-1,000 |
| Africa | |
| Rondo Dwarf Galago (Galagoides rondoensis) | - |
| Roloway Guenon (Cercopithecus diana roloway) | - |
| Tana River Red Colobus (Procolobus rufomitratus) | Less than 1,000 |
| Niger Delta Red Colobus Monkey (Procolobus epieni) | - |
| Kipunji (Rungwecebus kipunji) | c.1,117 |
| Cross River Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli) | 200–300 |
| Asia | |
| Siau Island Tarsier (Tarsius tumpara) | - |
| Javan Slow Loris (Nycticebus javanicus) | Low thousands at best |
| Simakobu or Pig-Tailed Snub-Nose Langur (Simias concolor) | c.3,347 |
| Delacour’s Langur (Trachypithecus delacouri) | Less than 320 |
| Golden-headed Langur or Cat Ba Langur (Trachypithecus p. poliocephalus) | 60–70 |
| Western Purple-faced Langur (Semnopithecus vetulus nestor) | - |
| Grey- shanked Douc Monkey (Pygathrix cinerea) | 600–700 |
| Tonkin Snub-nosed Monkey (Rhinopithecus avunculus) | Less than 200 |
| Eastern Black Crested Gibbon (Nomascus nasutus) | c.110 |
| Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) | Less than 5,000 |
| Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) | c.6,600 |
| Central and South America | |
| Cotton-top Tamarin (Saguinus oedipus) | Less than 6,000 |
| Variegated or Brown Spider Monkey (Ateles hybridus) | - |
| Peruvian Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey (Oreonax flavicauda) | - |
Table Source: IUCN.ORG
“The purpose of our Top 25 list is to highlight those that are most at risk, to attract the attention of the public, to stimulate national governments to do more, and especially to find the resources to implement desperately-needed conservation measures. We want governments to commit to these measures when they gather in Japan in October. We have the resources to address this crisis, but so far, we have failed to act.” says Dr Russell Mittermeier, Chair of the IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group and President of Conservation International.
Take action. Do what you can!
Source: IUCNREDLIST.org
